Of Custer Township Will County, Illinois
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Rural Historic Structural Survey of Custer Township Will County, Illinois Rural Historic Structural Survey of Custer Township Will County, Illinois July 2012 for Will County Land Use Deepartment and Will County Historic Preservation Commission Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. 330 Pfingsten Road Northbrook, Illinois 60062 (847) 272-7400 www.wje.com Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. Rural Historic Structural Survey Custer Township Will County, Illinois TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary vii Federal Assistance Acknowledgement viii Chapter 1 – Background and Methodology Background 1 Survey Methodology 1 Survey Gaps and Future Research 2 Chapter 2 – Context History of the Rural Survey Area Geologic and Topographic Background to the Illinois Region 5 First Nations in the Illinois Region 6 The Arrival of European Settlers 7 Settlement and Development of Northeast Illinois 13 Custer Township Developmental History 21 Schools 29 Cemeteries 31 Bridges 32 Chapter 3 – American Rural Architecture Farmstead Planning 33 Development of Balloon Framing 33 Masonry Construction 37 Classification of Farmhouses 43 Development of the Barn 53 Barn Types 57 Chapter 4 – Survey Summary and Recommendations Period of Significance 73 Significance 74 Potential Historic Districts, Thematic Designations, and Landmarks 78 Survey Summary 79 Table 1. Surveyed Farmsteads and Related Sites in Custer Township 81 Table 2. Farmhouses in Custer Township 106 Table 3. Barns in Custer Township 113 Notable Farmsteads in Custer Township 115 Tilden–Baker–Love Farmstead 115 Trainer Family Farmsteads 116 Shenk Family Farmsteads 117 Hudson–Haas–Shenk Farmstead 117 Keay–Seigert–Kopriva Farmstead 118 Smillie Farmsteads 118 William Young Farmstead 119 Russell–Lake–Prince Farmstead 120 Andrew Yeates Farmstead 120 Baird Farmstead 121 Will County Rural Historic Structural Survey Custer Township v Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. Curran–Hoekstra Farmstead 122 Bibliography 123 Glossary 134 Appendix A: Historic Plat Maps Appendix B: Survey Maps Key to Properties by Map ID number Map 1 – Will County Key Map Map 2 – Custer Township: Overview of Survey, West Half Map 3 – Custer Township: Overview of Survey, East Half Map 4 – Custer Township: Significance of Sites, West Half Map 5 – Custer Township: Significance of Sites, East Half Map 6 – Custer Township: 1939 Aerial Photography, West Half Map 7 – Custer Township: 1939 Aerial Photography, East Half Will County Rural Historic Structural Survey vi Custer Township Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. Executive Summary At the request of the Will County Land Use Department, acting as liaison for the Will County Historic Preservation Commission, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) has prepared this summary report of the intensive survey of existing farmsteads in Custer Township in Will County, Illinois. For Custer Township, the work was performed in two phases. In the initial phase, the field survey was performed in June 2010 and included approximately twenty-five square miles with 73 farmsteads and related sites containing approximately 426 individual structures. A subsequent phase began in September 2011, leading to preparation of this summary report and final documentation of the survey. Custer Township does not contain any existing landmarks. Of the 73 farmsteads identified in the current survey, five farmstead sites and two bridges have the potential to be considered for Will County Historic Landmark designation or listing in the National Register of Historic Places. In some cases, the eligibility of the site would be enhanced if certain historic features were restored or non-historic cladding materials such as vinyl siding were removed. Other sites have either been designated Contributing, which means in the context of this report that they retain their overall character as historically agricultural sites but lack individual distinction; or Non-contributing, which indicates that the site lacks sufficient integrity to present the theme of agricultural history in the survey region. The Custer Township intensive survey was performed to update the previous survey of the township performed in 1988. Because of the rapid pace of contemporary development in Will County in the 1990s, the Will County Historic Preservation Commission recognized the need to reassess the agricultural heritage of the region. WJE has previously completed thirteen intensive survey projects in sixteen of the County’s twenty-four townships covering Wheatland–Plainfield–Lockport, Du Page, Homer, New Lenox, Green Garden, Manhattan, Frankfort, Joliet–Troy, Channahon, Wilmington, Jackson, Reed, and Florence Townships. Concurrently with this report on Custer Township, a survey and report for Wesley Township was prepared. Copies of the previous survey reports were provided to public libraries and respective governing agencies in the area. Cumulatively, the surveys have documented more than 6,500 structures on more than 1,450 sites over approximately 610 square miles of Will County. Performing a separate survey for each township has allowed more detailed information to be collected, such as individual photographs of each historic structure, an assessment of current conditions, and preparation of annotated aerial photo-plans. With the permission of property owners, the survey work was performed with close-up access to the buildings, which allowed for close range photography and a reliable identification of building materials. The survey data was compiled and analyzed using database software and geographic information system (GIS) software. In this report, Chapter 1 contains a description of the project methodology. Chapters 2 and 3 provide the historical and architectural context, within which the surveyed farmsteads were established, grew, were reconfigured, and in some cases were abandoned. Chapter 2 covers the historical context of Will County agriculture, as well as the historical development of Custer Township. Chapter 3 discusses the architectural context of the rural survey area. Chapter 4 summarizes the survey results and includes a discussion of the National Register and Will County criteria for designation of historical and architectural significance. Also in Chapter 4 are several tabulations of the survey results and an overview of a select number of historically and/or architecturally significant farmsteads. A bibliography of research sources follows the text. Appendices include historic and contemporary plat maps for Custer Township, and maps developed for this report to present the results of the survey and research. Will County Rural Historic Structural Survey Custer Township vii Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. Federal Assistance Acknowledgement The activity, which is the subject of the Will County Rural Historic Structural Survey, has been financed in part with federal funds from the Department of the Interior, administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior nor the Illinois Historic Preservation Ageency, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Department of the Interior noro the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. This program receives Federal financial assistance for identification and protection of historic properties Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabiliitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, or disability or agee in its federally assisted programs. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to: Office for Equal Opportunity National Park Service P.O. Box 37127 Washington, D.C. 20013-7127 or Equal Employment Opportunity Officer Illinois Historic Preservation Agency One Old State Capitol Plaza Springfield, IL 62701 Will County Rural Historic Structural Survey viii Custer Toownship Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. CHAPTER 1 BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY Background At the request of the Will County Land Use Department, acting as liaison for the Will County Historic Preservation Commission, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) has prepared this summary report of the intensive survey of farmsteads in Florence Township in Will County, Illinois. A previous survey of farmsteads in Will County was performed in 1988. Beginning in 1999, WJE has prepared intensive surveys of individual townships in Will County. Previous townships surveyed included Plainfield, Wheatland, and Lockport (completed November 2000), Du Page (November 2001), Homer (November 2002), New Lenox (August 2003), Green Garden (July 2004), Manhattan (September 2006), Frankfort (December 2007), Joliet and Troy (April 2009), Channahon (April 2009), Wilmington (December 2009), Jackson (December 2009), Reed (January 2011), and Florence (August 2011). Concurrently with this report on Custer Township, a survey and report for Wesley Township was prepared. The objectives of the study are to provide comprehensive information on all historic rural structures located in the area; to assess the eligibility of rural districts or individual buildings for designation as local landmarks or nomination to the National Register of Historic Places;